Month: October 2015

Author’s Back Cover Blurb:

A woman with an unspeakable past

Olivia Brightmore didn’t know what to expect when she took a position to teach at Englefiend School, an academy for “gifted” children. But it wasn’t having to rescue a young girl who levitated to the ceiling. Or battling a dark mystery in the surrounding woods. And nothing could have prepared her for Dr. Gareth St. John…

A man with exceptional talent

He knew all about her history and scrutinized her every move because of it. But there was more than suspicion lurking in those luscious green eyes. Even with all the strange occurrences at the school, the most unsettling of all is the attraction pulling Olivia and Gareth together with a force that cannot be denied.

My Review:

I’ve been reading every historical paranormal romances I can get my hands on (I’m taking recommendations if you have any!), and since I’d already read Isabel Cooper’s No Proper Lady and loved it, I greedily began Lessons After Dark. The part I liked is how Cooper’s rural school for the extraordinary is a lot like both Professor X’s school in the X-Men comics as well as Harry Potter’s Hogwarts. Like in those other stories, a group of misfit young adults arrive at the school for help controlling their supernatural abilities. I only wish either there were fewer students or Cooper worked harder at distinguishing them because, even at the end, I couldn’t tell which boy or girl was which. The hero and heroine, however, are beautifully drawn and are a lot of fun.

This was a wonderfully written historical paranormal, though not as good as No Proper Lady, and I would recommend it to anyone who likes superheroes, mutants, and wizards.

Or, 3 New Ghost Sightings On Same Highway

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Ghostly Goings-on Hit the Haunted Highway to Haverfordwest

Written Feb. 2015

A group of paranormal investigators have received three reports this month from motorists claiming to have seen a ghost running across a well used county road.

The A4076 that connects Milford Haven to Haverfordwest has been a hive of strange encounters.

The first report of strange activity came from two ladies who were travelling towards Haverfordwest on February 5 at approximately 7.30pm.

The driver said they were heading towards Dredgemans Hill when a dark shadow ran in front of the car.

The lady described the figure as a shadowy, human shape with long arms and legs. She said that it was so sudden that she slammed on the brakes.

Four days later, another two ladies travelling to work had a similar experience in Steynton just after 6am.

Also wanting to remain anonymous due to their profession, they claimed to have seen a tall shadowy figure on the side of the road just after the traffic lights.

As they continued their journey the tall figure darted across the road at an astonishing speed and then disappeared.

Luke Mayhew was driving through Steynton on the evening of Wednesday, February 11 when he had his own experience. He said: “I’m 100% certain I saw what I believe was a ghost/apparition while driving home.

“I saw it run right in front of me from one side of the road to another. I had to slam on my brakes.

“Of all the years I have lived in Milford I have never seen anything until last night. It was as clear as day!”

Gavin Davies from the Paranormal Chronicles said: “The road has witnessed some terrible and tragic accidents over the years. Local drivers are witnessing chilling and disturbing hauntings replayed in the darkness.

“Perhaps it is merely reflections of light or a hoax played out by a daring and suicidal prankster.”

Or, I’m Sharing My Fave Romantic Montages With You!

In honor of the return on Flirty Fridays and Once Upon a Time I’m devoting October to one of my all-time fave ships–Captain Swan. Prepare yourself for all the angsty scenes leading to the season 4 finale. Enjoy!

Or, Beware Of Hitchhikers In North Carolina

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Ghostly Hitchhiker From Guilford County, NC

Written by Joe Borlick, Feb. 2015

JAMESTOWN, N.C. — The legend of a ghostly hitchhiker who is rumored to have haunted a Guilford County underpass is getting a national audience, according to the High Point Enterprise.

The story of Lydia the hitchhiker was featured on an episode of “Monsters and Mysteries in America” on the Destination America cable channel earlier this week.

Legend has it that Lydia haunts the old U.S. 29-70 underpass in Jamestown. The TV crew was filming in the Triad last August. Several locals were interviewed.

The legend goes a little like this: A man is driving through Jamestown. He sees a young woman near the underpass and asks her if she needs a ride. She gets in and they head to her home in High Point. When they get there, she mysteriously disappears. Worried, the man gets out of his car and goes to a nearby house. An elderly woman answers the door. The driver tells the woman his story and the woman responds by saying her daughter was killed in a wreck near that underpass – and other drivers have told her the same story.

Author’s Back Cover Blurb:

1762. James Sherbourne, Earl of Whitney, is a gambling man. Not for the money. But for the thrill, the danger–and the company: Whit has become one of the infamous Hellraisers, losing himself in the chase for adventure and pleasure with his four closest friends.

Which was how Whit found himself in a gypsy encampment, betting against a lovely Romani girl. Zora Grey’s smoky voice and sharp tongue entrance Whit nearly as much as her clever hands–watching them handle cards inspires thoughts of another kind. . .

Zora can’t explain her attraction to the careless blue-eyed Whit. She also can’t stop him and his Hellraisers from a fiendish curse: the power to grant their own hearts’ desires, to chase their pleasures from the merely debauched to the truly diabolical. And if Zora can’t save Whit, she still has to escape him. . .

My Review:

I read this book because I was interested in writing a historical paranormal, so I was very invested in how the author wrote her novel. Though I’m not a fan of gypsies, and the heroine Zora is a gypsy fortune teller, I really liked the first few chapters. I thought Archer had creative ideas about curses, devils, and invisible captives. My favorite part was how Whit could fit Zora in his pocket. It was a very magical and imaginative beginning.

The problem I have is, by the 50% mark the hero and heroine have overcome both the external and internal obstacles to their continued happiness. They were in lust (if not in love) and committed to each other. At that point, I felt like the story was over and I wasn’t interested in reading any further. I really wish Archer had structured the story in a way that kept me on the edge of my seat for the entire novel because I enjoyed her writing and her ideas.

If you’re interested in a dark and fun historical paranormal, I would recommend reading at least part of this book as a great example of the genre.

Or, A Murdered Cardinal Haunts This Scottish Estate

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Scottish Castle Haunted by Murdered Cardinal up for Sale

Written by Andrew Clark, Feb. 2015

Ethie Castle in Scotland

A haunted castle near Arbroath has been put up for sale for £1.65 million.

Ethie Castle is believed to be haunted by David Beaton, a 16th century Cardinal who was brutally murdered by a group of protestant lairds.

Cardinal Beaton targeted and arrested a number of Protestant figures and when he arrested preacher George Wishart and had him burned at the stake, a group of Protestant lairds responded by entering St Andrews Castle and savagely murdering the Cardinal before hanging his body out the window.

Before his murder, Beaton live in Arbroath at Ethie Castle and, since his passing, legend his it that his ghost still roams the corridors of the historic building.

As well as the ghost of the Cardinal, guests at the castle have also heard the cries of a child – said to be the young boy whose skeleton was discovered in a secret bricked up room.

As frightening as the ghosts may be, if you can look beyond that, the castle, built in the 14th century, also has plenty of things going for it – it comes with a number of large rooms, tennis courts, outdoor swimming pool and an extensive garden.

Or, I’m Sharing My Fave Romantic Montages With You!

In honor of the return on Flirty Fridays and Once Upon a Time I’m devoting October to one of my all-time fave ships–Captain Swan. I imagine, “Sugar? Yes, please!” is something a lot of us would say if face-to-face with Killian Jones. LOL Enjoy!